It is desirable to provide a two-part toothbrush comprising a first handle portion and a second head portion. This necessitates a connection between the two portions. One reason for providing a two-part toothbrush is that toothbrushes readily wear out during use. Rather than being thrown out, the toothbrush is usually used beyond its useful life. A further reason for providing a two-part toothbrush is that a one-part toothbrush is ill-adapted for travelling and storage. In addition, it would be advantageous to have a clean toothbrush head available for use at one's destination or at any location at which it is desired to brush one's teeth. To make the toothbrush a more versatile item of dental hygiene, it would also be advantageous to provide different types of heads for use with a single handle.
There are may types of connectors in the prior art but there still exists a need for a useful connector for releasably connecting and locking a toothbrush head to a handle. The main disadvantage of prior art connectors, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,684 to Fischer, is the risk of disconnection of the portions during actual use of the toothbrush. The risk of disconnection may be the result of an improper connection of the two separate portions by the user as well as the substantial forces applied to the toothbrush during use. Consequently, a need exists for a connector which may be positively locked after connection to prevent disconnection during use.